In Russia there has long been a need for concluding agreements on cooperation between the Council of Muftis of Russia with the ministries of defense and internal affairs and other structures for the purpose of strengthening national unity and the patriotic education of youth. This was announced on Thursday by the chairman of the council, Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, at a session of the "Pobeda" organizing committee which was held under the chairmanship of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Valentin Matvienko, Interfax reports.
According to the mufti, Islamic organizations in Russia are trying to help Russian society and government to find their place in a rapidly changing world and to be united in conditions of the new challenges and dangers that have arisen. Muslim organizations, he said, see actions of the state authorities, educational systems, and state news media that create the country's image and would bind all citizens together as a guarantee of the preservation and strengthening of fraternal relations among the peoples of Russia.
Mufti Ravil Gainutdin thinks that the conclusion of agreements on cooperation of the mufti council with the power and other state structures should help energize the struggle with extremism and terrorism and national intolerance and alienation.
In his turn, the chief of staff of the Moscow patriarchate, Metropolitan Sergius Fomin of Solnechnogorsk, declared that there long has been a need in Russia to revive the institution of military clergy. "The institution of chaplains corresponds completely with the centuries-old tradition of the Russian army as well as contemporary world practice," he stated. The metropolitan said that it is important to recall the real threat posed by "numerous and by no means unsuccessful attempts of various nontraditional religious associations to penetrate the military service, including organizations that are financed from abroad and operate against the interests of strengthening Russian security in the 'guise of religion.'"
"Broad educational activity among military personnel is needed, which also suggests the use of our traditions and foreign experience in training of military chaplains," Metropolitan Sergius said. Besides this, he said the experience of recent military campaigns and so-called local wars testifies unequivocally to the beneficial of the influence of the church on the army's spirit. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 October 2001)
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"We welcome the initiative of the leaders of the Muslim boards of Russia" to conduct in Moscow an international Islamic conference under the heading "Islam against terror." This statement was made on Thursday to reporters by the head of the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of Uzbekistan, Mufti Abdurashid Bakhromov, "GazetaSNG.ru" reported.
The mufti declared that the leadership of the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of the republic intends to participate in the international Islamic conference. "We should join forces together with the whole world against terrorists, who do not have either nationality, faith, or citizenship," he said. At the same time the spiritual leader of Muslims called terrorists "in Uzbekistan, Chechnia, USA, and any other corner of the terrestrial sphere" criminals, "under whose feet the earth should burn." (tr. by PDS, posted 1 October 2001)
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The chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate, Metropolitan Kirill Gundiaev of Kaliningrad and Smolensk, has linked a positive resolution of the question of the registration of the Orthodox church in Estonia with the election of the new president of the republic, Arnold Ruutel, according to an Interfax report citing the BNS agency.
"We know that the old president was personally drawn into the conflict," Metropolitan Kirill noted. "We know Mr. Ruutel as a person with a governmental mentality and as a strong politician. We hope that after his election this problem will be resolved." He expressed certainty that the new president will demonstrate "a balanced objective attitude toward this problem."
"Registration of the Orthodox church in Estonia has become a question of Russian policy," Metropolitan Kirill told the BNS agency. He noted that this question was presented at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, at which the Russian delegation proposed continuing the monitoring of human rights in Estonia in connection with this situation. "While monitoring is going on there cannot even be any talk of the entry of Estonia into the European Union," Metropolitan Kirill noted. "We argue that human rights are being crudely trampled in Estonia. And nowadays this point of view is shared by many in Europe."
There cannot be "even sufficiently intense political and economic cooperation between Estonia and Russia in conditions when Russian speaking citizens are being discriminated against," the highly placed representative of the Moscow patriarchate declared.
The Russian Orthodox church has been trying for a long time to obtain registration of the Estonian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate, to which the overwhelming majority of Orthodox believers in Estonia belong. At the present time only the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox church is officially registered in the country; it is under the jurisdiction of the Constantinople patriarchate. (tr. by PDS, posted 28 September 2001)
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In recent days many of the mass media have reported and commented upon the position of the Russian Orthodox church with regard to the terrorist acts in USA and subsequent development of affairs in the world. The overwhelming majority of the media materials are characterized by accuracy and good intentions. However, sometimes the church's position has been presented in a one-sided manner, without attention to the entirety of its attitude toward the indicated events. On 18 September the Internet publication "Gazeta.ru" prefaced its on-the-whole accurate material with the provocative headline "Orthodox church blesses war."
The Communications Service of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate calls the attention of the media and the public to the fact that the position of the Russian Orthodox church was adequately expressed in the Declaration of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and all-Rus and the Holy Synod of 18 September of this year as well as in numerous interviews by the chairman of OVTsSMP, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad in the Russian electronic and print media (statements of Metropolitan Kirill in the newspapers Komsomolskaia pravda and Trud were reproduced in their entirety on the official Internet page of the Moscow patriarchate).
The essence of this position, in brief, comes down to the following. The Russian Orthodox church grieves for the victims of the terrorist acts and condemns their perpetrators, for whom there is no justification, nor can there be. Nobody has the right to impose upon people by force their own convictions and principles. Our church condemns terrorist acts in America just as it condemned similar crimes committed in Russian cities, Chechnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The monstrous evil that international terrorism is must be punished and ended. USA has the complete right to take actions of retribution. However in the course of such action it is necessary to keep victims among the civilian population to a minimum. One cannot punish whole nations and religions. It is necessary to draw a clear line between the criminals and well-meaning followers of Islam. In order to avoid a global conflict it is necessary to begin the creation of a more just world order, which gives to all nations the possibility of living in accordance with their own religious and cultural traditions. This will lead to tearing the rug out from under the feet of terrorists once and for all. (tr. by PDS, posted 24 September 2001)
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The world is poised in expectation of American retaliation. Unquestionably, evil must be punished and torn out by the roots so that its shoots will not sprout again. There is no doubt about this nor can there be. Human civilization has been too fragile in reality and too vulnerable to sophisticated barbarian operations. But retribution must be precise and specific so that punitive actions directed against bandits not engender new troubles and intensify the situation on the planet excessively and too long (and thus primarily play into the hands of the organizers of terror). And so that we will not wind up in a world that is hopelessly divided and split into blocks defined by one or another identity.
In the declaration of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II and the Holy Synod of our church, made in connection with the terrorist acts in America, it was said that after this catastrophe "the world is changed. We have seen in all its horrific clarity the image of war of the twenty-first century, because we have been confronted with, on the one hand, an especially bold attempt to impose by force one's vision of the world order upon others, based on one's own world view or religious convictions, absolutizing one's culture and one's form of life."
Now events could develop in accordance with two scenarios. First and most horrifying would be a response attempting by force to change Muslim peoples and to force them to break themselves up and reject internal freedom forever. This attempt forebodes a global Christian-Muslim confrontation.
Indeed, terrorism must be punished in the most severe manner. The world community must realize that the crimes in New York and Washington, Moscow and Grozny, kosovo and Macedonia are links in a single chain. This chain of evil must be broken and melted down. But whole peoples and religions must not be punished.
I hope that the countries of the West and Russia will be able to draw a clear line between criminals and those who help them, on one hand, and the hundreds of millions of well-intentioned followers of Islam, on the other. I would like to caution society against manifestations of thoughtless nationalism and religious strife. This will harm only ourselves because it will not solve the problem of terrorism but only exacerbate it.
There is another scenario. This is the transition to a peaceful coexistence of various systems of values--religious, world view, and cultural. There are many such systems in the world and each is supported by tens and hundreds of millions or even a billion people. One must not allow only one of them to dominate and be considered "universal," and the others, whether Islamic or consistent Christianity, to be suppressed. Each of them must have effective influence on the working out of international justice and be taken into account in reaching decisions on the world level. If this happens, we will pull the rug out from under the feet of terrorists. They will not be able to appeal to public opinion any longer, citing the injustice of the world order. (tr. by PDS, posted 22 September 2001)
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The Russian Orthodox church blessed war by USA against Afghanistan. Taliban, in its turn, declares that after the first bomb falls it will declare jihad.
On Tuesday an official representative of the Russian Orthodox church, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations (OVTsS) of the Moscow patriarchate Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, declared that RPTs supports war by USA against Afghanistan. In the metropolitan's opinion, "from a Christian point of view Americans have the right to deliver a responsive strike." The metropolitan stressed that "of course there will be responses from USA and there should be, since from a Christian point of view evil must be punished." Metropolitan Kirill also is sure that USA has a moral and even religious basis for a responsive strike. He recalled the famous phrase: "Those who take the sword will perish by the sword."
At the same time Metropolitan Kirill declared that a military strike should be measured and as limited as possible, while "innocent people should not suffer to any extent."
The chairman of OVTsS also stated that he does not think that a responsive strike would evoke interreligious strife since the terrorist acts committed in USA did not have any religious basis.
"What upsets you?" a correspondent from Gazeta.ru was asked by the head of the Communications Service of OVTsS, Viktor Malukhin, in response to a request for comment on the metropolitan's words. "Murder is a sin and it is punished. By God at the last judgment and by people on earth," he explained. Then Fr Viktor again affirmed that the position of the Moscow patriarchate is expressed in the words: "Evil and death inflicted on individuals should be punished."
In his statement the chairman of OVTsS suggested that harm could be inflicted on innocent people. Judging by how USA is preparing for an attack on Afghanistan, this is quite likely. A broad based mobilization of forces is underway along with vigorous conversations with the forces of Great Britain (on Thursday Tony Blair will fly to USA for conversation with Bush). Japanese Prime Ministry Junichiro Koizumi ordered on Tuesday the ministries of foreign affairs and defense to study the question of preparing a legislative basis to allow Japan to give logistic support to the United States. Even Palestine is prepared to offer USA its bases for accommodating ground troops.
We recall that the deadline of the ultimatum issued by the government of USA to Taliban expires on Wednesday around noon. Either Taliban must surrender bin Laden to USA or USA will begin "searching for him on the territory of Afghanistan by its own means."
A representative of the Taliban government declared on Tuesday that for now holy war against USA has not been declared, but in the event that Americans begin operations on the territory of Afghanistan, it will become inevitable. "Of course, if an invasion of an Islamic country is begun, then there will be holy war against the aggressors," an unidentified representative of the Taliban government declared. It is quite likely that these aggressors will include all countries that aid USA to any extent in searching for the perpetrators of the terrorist acts of 11 September. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 September 2001)
DOES WAR BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS THREATEN US?
by Nikolai Varsegov
Komsomolskaia pravda, 19 September 2001
Interview with Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate.
Whole nations and religions should not be "punished" along with terrorists.
--Your eminence, some politicians who have spoken out portray for us the terrorist acts in USA as the beginning of a war between the Christian and Muslim worlds. What is the position of the Russian Orthodox church on this matter?
--I don't want to believe that this will be so. After all, the overwhelming majority of believers really desire peace. Not one traditional religion permits the imposing of faith by force and the achievement of religious ends through aggression. His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and all-Rus and the Holy Synod of our church said in a declaration made in connection with the acts of terror in America that this crime "remains forever a sin against God and people and a violation of the commandments of any religion." No matter what elevated words they hide behind, terrorists usually are pursuing crudely base goals. There are among them even those who have been deceived by politicians and nationalists who exploit the feelings of believers for their own struggle for power. It is forces that are in no way connected with religion that today are trying to set Christians against Muslims and provoke a global clash between them.
--So to whom is a war between civilizations and religions necessary and why?
--I think only to those who want to weaken each of these strong religious communities.
Of course, there is a basis for tension, not so much between Islam and Christianity as between the whole religious world view and the secular world view, which places humanity and its earthly self-realization above God and faith. Contemporary western civilization can be called Christian only with qualification. What dominates within it is the power of money, comfort, and a "universal" ideology that has removed God. Many believers do not agree with this power--Orthodox, Catholics, a significant number of protestants, many Muslims, and Jews. The world should not permit an absolute minority of its population, that possesses power, money, and influence, to speak and to make decisions in the name of the whole of humanity.
But the "conflict of civilizations" can and must be avoided. It is necessary to exert every effort in order not to permit an artificial conflict between Muslims and Christians. In the final analysis, it is necesssary to begin building the modern world order in a new fashion, not on the basis of the domination of one ideology or on a bloc of economic, political, military, and information forces, but on the basis of the equal distribution of power among all portions of the population of the planet and among the bearers of various world views and cultures. It is necessary to find in this system an adequate place for western liberalism too as well as for consistent Christianity, Islam, and other traditions, even if they now are placed by somebody "beyond the pale of world civilization." Only in this way can we prevent new confrontations and tear the ground out from under the feet of terrorists.
--I don't like speaking now about gloating. Thank God there is not much of this in Russia. But there are some believing people, who sincerely sympathize with Americans, who at the same time consider that American deserved this punishment for its pride and for the spiritual disorder it has inflicted on the whole world. . . .
--One must not condemn anybody, least of all a nation that has suffered such horrible losses. I recall that several hours after the tragedy His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II sent to American President George Bush a telegram of condolences in which he said: "I have learned with great pain about the amazing crimes that have been committed in which the life and health of thousands of people have been taken away. There is no justification for the one who is guilty of this. I hope with all my heart that such horrible troubles and pains will never again come to the American land. In this tragic hour we are with you, with America and its people. May God's mercy be with you."
The Lord sees everyone's sins and good deeds. Only he has the right to make the final judgment, as he himself said: "Vengence is mine, I will repay" (Rm 12.19). I will not advise anybody to take upon himself the right of such judgment and to accuse a whole nation, much less to gloat over its sorrow. We ourselves in the twentieth century have gone through a whole series of national catastrophes, many of our own fault. Christ warns each of us, "Sin no more lest worse befall you" (Jn 5.14)
--It is known that the suicide terrorists commit their evil acts under the banner of Islam and supposedly in accordance with the will of Allah. They believe that by their "feats" they will gain for themselves the way into paradise. What can you say to this?
--For Christians, suicide is a mortal sin, depriving one of the hope of eternal life in the heavenly kingdom. From an Orthodox point of view any aggressive violence also is sinful to say nothing of the murder of civilians. Even if injustice has been done, it is better to struggle with it by peaceful means. In general the use of force in Orthodoxy is considered possible only for defence of one's neighbors, family, or nation.
--USA is preparing to deliver a responsive strike on known nests of international terrorists and, of course, somebody's innocent blood will flow. But if one appeals to the commandment "thou shalt not kill" and evil remains unpunished, one must expect new tragedies in any point in the world. What should be done?
--In this matter I have said that the commandment "thou shalt not kill" does not by any means imply a refusal to defend one's neighbor. The world has the full right to oppose terrorism. The more so since this problem has become universal; it cannot be fixed within the boundaries of a single country or single region. Attacks on New York and Washington, explosions in Russian cities, kidnappings and murders of people in the northern Caucasus, destruction of Orthodox churches in Kosovo and Macedonia, all are links in a single chain. The nations of the world must together make a decisive response to all of these crimes. It is necessary to put an end to the fulfilment of evil intents so that the tragedies not be repeated.
However, whole nations and religions should not be "punished" along with terrorists. Even more, it is not possible to go the route of a confrontation between followers of Christianity and Islam. Again I repeat: people who advocate this, even if they are speaking "in the name" of these religions, actually are sinning against them and they have nothing in common with their spiritual bases.
--I understand that some time will pass and the human bomb may become even for the wised-up descendants of today's terrorists something humorous out of the past, an object for anecdotes. But today, alas, it's no laughing matter. Not being a psychiatrist, it is possible to think that the recent success of the maniacs will drive some weak minds and move people with unhealthy psyches or drug addicts to think it wonderful to play the kamikaze . What could you say to such possessed people who are ready to submit their will blindly to evildoers?
--Holy scripture and Christian tradition do not share an extremely optimistic view of history. Always, before the second coming of the Lord Jesus, there will be sin and vice, irrationality and hate. Moreover, evil will gradually multiply, reaching extremes, after which God himself will conquer it in the apocalyptic battle and then the history of the present world will come to an end. Therefore one should not count on people becoming better by themselves. But it is in our power to restrain evil and to postpone the time of the fulfilment of the horrible biblical prophecies. For this it is necessary to maintain peace, respect one another, and resist hatred with love and nihilism with faith and vice with moral living. To those who for various reasons are prepared to lift up their hands against their neighbors I can say only one thing: stop and think! For you will destroy not only those around you but yourself as well, bringing torments upon your own immortal soul. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 September 2001)
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